Since the Grounders don't use last names, their clan name is used instead. Every clan has a leader and each village within a clan has a leader. All twelve clans follow the Commander.[1] The clans choose their leaders differently, but most are chosen after the old leader has died.[2] Village leaders earn his or her place at the top through acts of strength and ferocity (as in the case of Indra, the Chief of Tondc) and through mentor-ship from previous leaders.[3] The Commander is chosen through a Conclave.

Contents

History

Commander Lexa, played an important role in uniting the 12 Grounder Clans and forming the Coalition and became the first Commander of the 12 Clans. In "Remember Me", while discussing with Lexa about the alliance with the Sky People, it is mentioned that she is the reason all twelve clans united to fight against Mount Weather and without her, the Coalition would fail. The Ice Nation was long considered the biggest threat to the alliance of the twelve clans.

Ambassadors of the 13 clans

After the destruction of Mount Weather, the Coalition was shown to be highly unstable, and the clan ambassadors believe that Lexa is weak and unfit to rule. Aware she was losing control, Lexa killed an Ice Nation ambassador who questioned her. Subsequently, the Coalition attempted to remove Lexa from power with a unanimous vote by all clan members, which she circumvented by convincing the Sky People to join the Coalition. Convincing the Sky People she was their only hope for survival, despite her actions towards them during and after Mount Weather, Lexa secured their vote in the Coalition. The Coalition was unable to proceed with her removal. Former Chancellor Marcus Kane received the Coalition brand on his forearm under Chancellor Abby Griffin.

The next day, the newly elected Chancellor, Charles Pike, rejected their joining of the Coalition. He, along with his group including Bellamy Blake and Hannah Green, killed the army Lexa had sent to Arkadia to prevent Azgeda from disobeying her and destroying the new clan, and with them her Coalition.

Nia challenges Lexa

During Season 3, Queen Nia of Azgeda challenged Lexa's position as the Coalition Commander and selected her son Roan to fight her in a Trial by Combat. Lexa won the trial, but instead of killing Roan, Lexa killed Queen Nia as she watched the fight. She then declared Roan King of Azgeda. The fracturing of the Coalition continued, as Lexa struggles to maintain her power.

Lexa was accidentally killed by Titus, her adviser and the spiritual leader of the Flamekeepers, and was succeeded by Ontari of Azgeda who had slaughtered the Nightblood children Lexa was training, to fight for the title. Ontari was then killed by A.L.I.E.

After A.L.I.E. was terminated, Azgeda takes over the rule of the Coalition. King Roan reinstated Skaikru as the thirteen clans and declared, "An attack against Skaikru is an attack against us all."

Later, the Floukru clan were wiped out after they went extinct, due to the Acute Radiation Syndrome (ARS), leaving only 12 remaining clans left, including Skaikru.

Commander

The Commander, also known as Heda in Trigedasleng, is the title, given to the user of the Flame. The Flame is a cybernetic implant created by Becca. She was the Flame's first user and the title "Commander" originated from the badge on her spacesuit when she descended to Earth from Polaris two years after the Nuclear Apocalypse. After her death, she became known as Bekka Pramheda ("Becca First Commander" in Trigedasleng).

Since the Flame can only be implanted within Nightbloods, they are the only ones able to become true Commanders. Grounders believe the Flame contains the "Spirit of the Commander" and that the spirit helps find the next Commander. In "Survival of the Fittest" Lexa mentions that after she dies, her spirit would find a new Commander.

Under Lexa, the Commander became the leader of the Grounder Coalition of the twelve clans.

Clans

Trikru

The Woods Clan, also known as People of the Woods, Trigedakru, Trikru, or Tree People, are a group of Grounders who inhabit the expanse of Virginia's woodlands. Their borders also extend to the ruins of what once was Washington, DC and near the ruins of the Lincoln Memorial. In "Remember Me", it is revealed that Lincoln's village is named Tondc, probably due to a damaged sign nearby that reads "Washington DC 10 Miles."

Lexa, the former Commander of the 12 Clans, was from the Woods Clan. She united the 12 clans to form the Coalition.[6]

Azgeda

The Ice Nation, also known as Azgeda, is a clan that was ruled by King Roan and Queen Nia. This clan is currently allied with the Woods Clan, but they were previously at war. Their territory stretches for a thousand miles. It borders Trikru territory at Sector 8, but the ice is farther to the north.

This is the clan who captured Lexa's girlfriend, Costia, thinking she had information about the Commander. They tortured, killed, and decapitated her. Lexa, however, forced them into the Coalition to help fight Mount Weather and the Mountain Men.

Ontari, the pretender to the Commander's throne, was from the Ice Nation.

Floukru

The Boat People, also known as Floudon Kru or Floukru,[7] is a clan ruled by Luna.[8] This clan is allied with the Trikru and, according to Lincoln in "I Am Become Death", they live "east to the sea, then across it." Lincoln met Luna on his travels.[9]

This is the clan where Lincoln was going to take Octavia to in order to keep out of the conflict between the 100 and the Grounders. After he rescued Octavia from the battle, they were on their way there in the Season Two premiere but never made it. In "Wanheda (Part 1)", it is alluded that once the Commander placed the kill order on Lincoln's head, Luna was no longer able to take them in.

In "The Four Horsemen" Luna became the last surviving member of the Floukru clan when the rest of her people were killed from radiation sickness after they ingested irradiated fish. Luna only overcame the sickness on account of her being a Nightblood.

The Floukru clan was entirely wiped out when Luna herself was later killed in "Die All, Die Merrily" during the Final Conclave.

Sangedakru

The Desert Clan, also known as Sankru or Sangedakru (sometimes misspelled "Sandgedakru")[10], is the clan Brell and Caris[11] are from. Little else is known about this clan, although it does seem to be separate from the Nomadic Grounders in the Dead Zone. According to Brell, Sangedakru's capital punishment law is stoning to death.

Trishanakru

The Glowing Forest, also known as Trishana or Trishanakru, is where Ilian is from. Some members of Trishanakru have been known to decorate themselves with lines of dots tattooed onto their foreheads. Trishanakru was one of the allies Trikru called upon to help retake Polis from Azgeda.[12]

The clan's death ritual includes securing the dead body against a tree and having radiated glowing butterflies place their larvae to make a cocoon around the body. After metamorphosis, glowing butterflies emerge from the cocoon. The butterflies give the clan their name.[13]

Yujleda

The Broadleaf Clan, also known as Yujleda, is where Ambassador Uzac is from. They were allied with Trikru and were willing to fight against Azgeda.[14]

Boudalan

The Rock Line, also known as Boudalan or Boudalankru, is the clan that was represented by the ambassador killed by Echo. Some members wear the stones of their ancestors in order to honor them.[15] They were allied with Trikru and were willing to fight against Azgeda.[14]

Ingranronakru

Louwoda Kliron

The Shallow Valley is also known as Louwoda Kliron Kru. Their territory, like the clan, is called Shallow Valley, and includes the Virginia town Shenandoah.[17] This is the clan Madi is from.[18] The people of this clan tend to wear reds and browns, they decorate their villages with colorful cloth and weaves wrapped around trees.

Notes and Trivia

It was originally assumed that all Grounders were a part of the same clan. It was revealed by Lincoln, however, that there is more than one clan. A more definite number of clans is given by Gustus in "Remember Me".

The forging of the Coalition, as well as pre-Coalition wars, involved a lot of bloodshed.[6][19]

The Coalition was brought about after Lexa forced the Ice Nation's hand.[20]

↑Swanson, Allisa (15 Feb 2017) Tweet “Terro, who grabbed Gaia's pack was Part of the Lake Clan, look closely, you can see a repurposed life vest as part of his costume.” - @allisa_s (Allisa Swanson is the costume designer for The 100.)